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Leonard D. Schaeffer Fellows in Government Service program

@schaefferfellow

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The LDSF program supports 10-week summer internships for undergraduates from 5 universities and hosts a robust professional development curriculum.

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Built by alumni, for alumni ⭐️ Applications are open for the Schaeffer Fellows Alumni Council — Executive Committee and Standing Committee positions! Deadline: November 1st

Apply at portal.schaefferfellows.org/page/alumni-council by @schaefferfellow

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Intern Spotlights ⭐️ Kate Bentley, 2026 Schaeffer Fellow, Princeton University
🏛️ Internship: Office of Congressmember Raja Krishnamoorthi
💼 Core projects: Staffed front desk, answered constituent phone calls, and gave Capitol tours: wrote policy memos, contributed to a speech for the representative, and researched background for hearings.

Intern Spotlights ⭐️ Dominick Lombard, 2026 Schaeffer Fellow, Harvard University
🏛️ Internship: San Francisco District Attorney’s Office
💼 Core projects: Wrote policy briefs, observed court proceedings, and communicated with clients.

Intern Spotlights ⭐️ Utkarsh Dubey, 2026 Schaeffer Fellow, UC Berkeley
🏛️ Internship: California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs
💼Core projects: Attended hearings, drafted bill amendments, researched policy in support of legislation, wrote newsletters, and created social media content and graphics.

Intern Spotlights ⭐️ Pavithra Harsha, 2026 Schaeffer Fellow, University of Southern California
🏛️ Internship: Office of Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo
💼 Core projects: Supported the judge’s policy team by drafting policy memos and conducting research, helped prepare for monthly Commissioners Court meetings, and attended and documented county-wide meetings and budget hearings.

Intern Spotlights ⭐️ Anna Scott, 2026 Schaeffer Fellow, University of Virginia
🏛️ Internship: City of Richmond, Office of Intergovernmental Affairs
💼 Core projects: Improved an ID proofing mechanism to reduce enrollment fraud in the health insurance marketplace and tested consumer cases across partner platforms to confirm expected outcomes. by @schaefferfellow

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A look back at our July & August events! ☀️

Alumni ambassadors hosted regional meetups in LA, NYC, D.C. and Richmond to bring together groups of Fellows and alumni locally for networking. Fellows and alumni were also invited to connect with @uscschaeffer Institute staff and researchers at the Summer Party. by @schaefferfellow

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Alumni mentors offer Schaeffer Fellows thoughtful guidance throughout the summer, helping them navigate their internship offices, build professional relationships, and think through future career plans.

Pictured: Alumni mentors with their mentees at the Schaeffer Fellows Summit Keynote Dinner in Washington, DC. Held at the historic Cosmos Club, this event recognizes the impact Fellows have had in their internships and celebrates mentors as dedicated partners in their success. by @schaefferfellow

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The annual Schaeffer Fellows Summit was held from June 24-28 in Washington, DC!

2026 Schaeffer Fellows convened to hear from peers about their internships across all levels of government, learn from public service leaders, connect with program alumni, and experience the capital together as a cohort. We were also glad to be joined by advisory board members and staff representatives from our five University Partners.

This year’s Summit theme, “The Next 250: Service & Stewardship for the Future”, underscored a simple truth: progress is not automatic. It depends on leaders who can articulate a compelling vision, communicate it persuasively, navigate complexity, and remain committed to shaping an enduring democracy. This annual gathering provides Fellows with a meaningful opportunity to build connections and reflect on their pathway in public service - this summer and beyond. #publicservice #governmentservice #schaefferfellow taken in Washington, D.C. by @schaefferfellow

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Spotlight on the Class of 2026! Caleb Kuo, a 2023 Schaeffer Fellow, graduates from the University of Virginia with degrees in Economics and Political Philosophy, Politics & Law. Caleb is a recipient of the Virginia Management Fellowship, a nationally recognized management and leadership succession pipeline program for college graduates interested in state public service. As a Fellow, Caleb will be working within the Law & Policy Department of the Virginia Employment Commission. #classof2026 by @schaefferfellow

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Spotlight on the Class of 2026! Amelia Monsour, a 2025 Schaeffer Fellow, graduates from the University of California, Berkeley with bachelor’s degrees in Political Science and Sociology, with a minor in Public Policy. Amelia is one of six outstanding seniors selected from UC Berkeley and Stanford University to receive the John Gardner Public Service Fellowship to support ten months of work in a nonprofit or government organization. #classof2026 by @schaefferfellow

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Spotlight on the Class of 2026! Myrah (My) Charles, a 2025 Schaeffer Fellow, graduates from Princeton University with a Bachelor of Arts in African-American Studies and minors in English and Theatre. She completed her senior thesis entitled “Getting In Is The Easy Part: Race, Belonging, and the Educational Bargain”. After graduation, My will relocate to New York City for a position in Business Services at a law firm. #classof2026 by @schaefferfellow

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Spotlight on the Class of 2026! Jack Kelly, a 2025 Schaeffer Fellow, graduates from Harvard University with double concentrations in Government and Applied Mathematics. A recipient of the Spärck Scholarship, Jack will attend the University of Cambridge Darwin College to pursue an MPhil in the Ethics of AI, Data, and Algorithms with research focusing on the intersection of artificial intelligence and judicial decision-making. #classof2026 by @schaefferfellow

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Spotlight on the Class of 2026! Aiko Abo Dominguez, a 2025 Schaeffer Fellow, graduates from the University of Southern California with a B.S. in Biological Sciences and a minor in Spanish. A recipient of the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, Aiko will begin a Ph.D. in Earth and Ocean Sciences at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science. #classof2026 by @schaefferfellow

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April is National Internship Awareness Month! This is a time to celebrate the supervisors behind the Schaeffer Fellows program who embody everything this month stands for: providing Fellows with real government work experiences, guiding their professional development, offering constructive feedback, and modeling what effective public service looks like in practice. As we prepare to welcome our 2026 cohort, we are grateful to this year’s supervisors and all those who came before them for investing in the future of public service.

#PublicService #GovernmentInternships #SchaefferFellows #NationalInternshipAwarenessMonth by @schaefferfellow

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Alumni Spotlight! Athena-Kate (AK) Canavos, a 2025 Schaeffer Fellow from UVA, served as an intern with Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger’s Inaugural Committee. “From breaking inaugural fundraising records to witnessing history be made in Virginia, it was an absolute privilege getting to contribute to this team’s impact on my home state.” by @schaefferfellow

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